Theresa May's former director of legislative affairs, Nikki de Costa, has described the move as "extraordinary".

What are Labour and the cross-party alliance attempting to do?

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.

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The vote this evening will be a first step - not final - as the motion today essentially asks MPs to vote to hijack the parliamentary timetable from the government in two weeks' time.

On the 25 June, opposition parties will then be able to introduce legislation to bar a prime minister from using prorogation - the suspension of parliament - to force through a no-deal Brexit without the consent of the chamber.

Without any hiccups, it could become law before the Tory hustings are over in mid-July and the new PM is installed in Downing Street - constraining their ability to pursue leaving the EU without a deal.

Why are the parties doing this?

As the Tory leadership contest rages on, leadership contenders such as the ex-Brexit secretary Dominic Raab have suggested they could prorogue parliament in order to leave the EU in October with, or without, a deal in place.

leftCreated with Sketch.rightCreated with Sketch.

1/9 Boris Johnson

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs

PA

2/9 Michael Gove

Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election

Getty

3/9 Dominic Raab

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never"

Getty

4/9 Rory Stewart

International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year

PA

5/9 Esther McVey

The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal

AFP/Getty

6/9 Sajid Javid

Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility

PA

7/9 Jeremy Hunt

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership

PA

8/9 Andrea Leadsom

Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister

AFP/Getty

9/9 Priti Patel

Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials

PA

1/9 Boris Johnson

Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson has long been hopeful, he previously stood in the leadership contest that followed the Brexit vote and has at many times since been thought to be maneuvering himself towards the goal. He remains a darling of the party's right wing, particularly those in the ERG, and is the most popular choice among Tory voters but his leadership bid would be fiercely opposed by many MPs

PA

2/9 Michael Gove

Environment secretary Michael Gove is another member who has long wanted to be leader. He has lately been known for rousing his party in the commons, his recent speeches on the Brexit deal and Labour's no confidence motion have overshadowed the Prime Minister's. He has been loyal to the Prime Minister, partly to shed his reputation as a backstabber who abandoned Boris Johnson to stand against him in the 2016 leadership election

Getty

3/9 Dominic Raab

Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab has emerged as a favourite to be the Brexiteer candidate in a contest to succeed to Ms May. He displayed a grip on detail in his role as Brexit secretary. When asked recently if he would like to become prime minister he replied "never say never"

Getty

4/9 Rory Stewart

International development secretary Rory Stewart is pitching himself as the sensible candidate, promising to rule out both a second referendum and a no-deal Brexit. He was only recently promoted to the cabinet, previously serving as prisons minister, where he caught headlines with a pledge to resign if he could not reduce levels of violence within a year

PA

5/9 Esther McVey

The former work and pensions secretary announced that she will be standing for the leadership when May leaves. McVey is the first to explicitly state that she intends to stand. She resigned from the cabinet in protest over May's Brexit deal

AFP/Getty

6/9 Sajid Javid

Home secretary Sajid Javid is said to have a plan in place for a leadership race. He made headlines over Christmas when he declared that people smuggling over the English channel was a "major incident" and more recently when he revoked the citizenship of ISIS bride Shamima Begum. Son of a bus driver, he wants the Conservatives to be seen as the party of social mobility

PA

7/9 Jeremy Hunt

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt was recently thought to be the favourite in the event of a leadership race as he could sell himself as the man to unite the party. Critics worry that his long stint as health secretary could return to haunt him at a general election. He has reportedly been holding meetings with Tory MPs over breakfast to promote his leadership

PA

8/9 Andrea Leadsom

Following the Prime Minister's second defeat over her Brexit deal, Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom hosted a dinner party at which "leadership was the only topic of conversation", The Times heard. Leadsom ran against Theresa May in the 2016 leadership election before dropping out, allowing May to become Prime Minister

AFP/Getty

9/9 Priti Patel

Former international development secretary Priti Patel is thought to be positioning herself as a contender. One MP told The Independent "she knows she's from the right of the party, the part which is going to choose the next leader, so she's reminding everyone she's there." Patel left the government late in 2017 after it emerged that she had held undisclosed meetings with Israeli officials

PA

Esther McVey, the former work and pensions secretary who is also running to replace the prime minister, has not ruled out such a route.

Speaking on Radio 4's Today programme this morning, Jenny Chapman, the shadow Brexit minister, said the vote today is a "safety valve" aimed at Tory leadership contenders attempting to freeze MPs out.

Is it likely to pass?

Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens, and Plaid Cymru are all backing the motion, but it is unlikely to pass without support from a fair few Tory backbenchers.

For a short moment, it looked as though cabinet minister Rory Stewart, who is running for the leadership, was willing to back Labour's no-deal motion. But he quickly rowed back, saying he will not be voting for it.

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Interestingly, the Conservative MP Sir Oliver Letwin has backed the move and his name even appears on the order paper. This could embolden some Tory MPs to take the unusual step of backing a Labour opposition day motion.

On Tuesday, the shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, said: "MPs cannot be bystanders while the next Tory PM tries to crash the UK out of the European Union without a deal and without the consent of the British people. That's why we are taking this latest measure to end the uncertainty and protect communities across the country.

"My challenge to MPs who disagree either with a no-deal Brexit or proroguing parliament is to back this motion and act in the national interest."

Will this actually stop a no deal?

While it constrains a prime minister's ability to push ahead with a no-deal, it does not prevent a no deal from happening.

It is unlikely - at this stage - but it is still within the power of Brussels to refuse a further extension at the 31 October deadline and opt to break ties with the UK and push ahead without a deal in place.

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